A highlight day

Day 3 - we affectionately dubbed it "Museum Day" because that was what was on our agenda. We started at the American Museum of Natural History

There were some really cool things - but our favorite was the gem and mineral exhibits

We liked it - but to be honest, it didn't quite meet our expectations. We went to the planetarium show, where we got to listen to a thirty minute show about the validity of the big bang theory. At the end, Becky said to me "mom, all those people in there believed them when they said that we were created from nothing. That's so sad they might never know we were created by God." 

Yes. It's very sad.

We then headed out for a true New York culinary experience - the hot dog truck.   

 We  took our culinary treats over to THE park, found a bench and ate in true New Yorker style ....

then meandered through the park on our way to the East side. 

At the Rockettes show the night before, part of the show took place in Central Park at the Alice Statue. Out meandering brought us there by chance which was cool for the girls to see up close

Our meanderings finally brought us to our destination - The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Cami had been waiting for this all trip! 

We only had time to choose a few things to see. The girls first choice was, of course, the Chinese collections.  The meditation room was an unexpected bonus!  

The Egyptian art collection was the other section we had time for. Cami studied ancient world history this year, and she was able to identify a lot of the items and tell the story behind them. 

On the way out, we got to walk through (quickly) the medieval collections - creepy but awesome! 

I am convinced that Cami could have spent three or four days in the Met - no problem. She said it was tied for first place with the Rockettes for the best thing on the trip so far! 

We were absolutely exhausted when we were done, so we headed back to Chinatown (where our hotel is) for dinner. However , one is never too exhausted to walk a few blocks for an after dinner treat! (they indulged in the gelato...but I knew better and got the Italian cookies and cannoli! 

Friday will be our last morning in the city then it is up to the Hudson River Valley for the main event of the trip! 

Big Apple - Day 2

We had a busy 2nd day in New York. The red eye flight an the time change caught up with us all and we slept in (well, some of us slept in!!) 

Once we got up and going, we hopped the subway and headed to Midtown and the Empire State Building. 

It's a chore to get up there, but the views are totally worth the effort. The girls were impressed - for about 10 minutes then were ready to move on! 

One of the things the girls spotted from the top of the was the world's largest department store....so we had to make a trip there. 

I was super impressed with their reaction to the 10 floors of stuff - they were actually unimpressed and walked away wondering "why all this stuff" and "who would like that and buy it all?" We had a great opportunity to talk about how not to get sucked into the consumerism of the world.

It was a lesson further enhanced by a SUPER cool store that featured minerals...

some really, really big minerals!

The girls loved it - until they learned that the above mineral formation was for sale for $35,000. Becky just couldn't wrap her heads around the fact they were selling these and they weren't in a museum

then we had a typical New York tourist moment....the teenager was pretty over the pictures at this point! 

A quick  "fly by" to visit Patience and Fortitude.....

 

Then bak to the hotel for Hong Kong style ice cream....

with Auntie D!!!!! This might be the highlight of the trip for all of us. 

 The eating fest continued.....

The owner of this place was a kick - he was pure italian right down to the "fuggetaboutit" 

we got Auntie D on the subway (reluctantly) 

to our big night out to see the Rockettes! 

We really only had the resources for one "show" and since the girls get Broadway quality opportunities at home (not that we take them - but they are there!!) and the Rockettes have a summer show, that's what we decided to do.

It was totally the right choice - the girls LOVED it!! 

We also go the chance to meet a Rockette afterwards - which was totally cool! She asked me what my favorite thing about the show was....and it was easy to answer. I loved the best getting to share the experience with my girls! 

More eating - can not possibly come to New York City with our having at least one slice of Ray's. 

A walk through Times Sqare afterwards - the girls pretty much hated it They were totally unimpressed and absolutely did not get what all the fuss is about. I am so proud of them for that, 

It was an awesome day! 

Live from New York...

It's not Saturday Night Live, but it is a major road trip for Becky, Cami and me.

Some of (most of) my greatest memories from my childhood are of New York City. Train rides into Penn Station, Neddicks hot dog, Lincoln Center, fruit from the corner market all are touchpoint for time spent with my dad. Missing school the next day never hurt either! But really, when I was growing up, our lives were busy with work and school. My parents were always in school and working so while we were together doing those things, it was always working. So the times that we weren't were precious to me. And New York factored into that in huge ways. 

So when the opportunity arose to head back to New York, I jumped on it - and dragged my two favorite traveling buddies along with me! 

We took the red eye out (planes) , and for only getting two hours of sleep - I think we were doing pretty well here! They didn't really get the full "NYC cab experience" (automobile) as it was rush hour

After dropping our luggage at the hotel, we took the subway (train) down to Battery Park and hopped a boat to The statue of Liberty. 

 (they were about over me taking pictures - which is a problem given we have two more days!!!)

From the Statue we headed over to Ellis Island. The girls were intrigued by the history of the island, and spent some time looking for family relatives that came through Ellis Island. We found their maternal great grandfather! 

The red eye took it's toll on us and we headed back to the hotel after lunch to rest a bit. Then a walk around Chinatown; we are staying at a hotel right where Chinatown meets Little Italy. 

And dinner. 

We are having a fabulous time - and making some amazing memories. I am feeling so blessed to be table to pass this legacy of time well spent together down to my girls! 

An Artist's Handiwork

The kids are back with us  - the baby full time and his older brother and sister a few nights a week. It is a fluid and ever changing situation - a flow dictated by the brokenness of a fallen world rather than by court edicts or legal declarations. 

For those who know me well, I don't particularly function well in undirected flow. I crave structure and routine. I **need** to know the rules of engagement and the processes needs to be well defined and documented for me to feel secure and relaxed.  

This situation holds none of those familiar crutches or supports. 

Yet - peace. 

My heart is at peace.

Because God is the artist of this story - not me. Not Doug. Not even the birth mom. 

Our Cami is a mighty and God gifted artist. 

She can take this empty and blank canvas.....

and create this......

(she did the illustrating of this verse in 20 minutes - totally astounded me) 

I can't do that.

Even with instructions and a process and lines to color within, I can not create the beauty that she does when she looks at the blank canvas and sees the ending. 

Much like God. 

He sees the ending to the story - intricately woven to bring Him glory. To expand the Kingdom of love that He longs for on earth. 

He knows how long this baby will be here - and how whatever time we have with him will shape his life. So if it is a day, or a lifetime, I don't need to hold that uncertainty in my head or heart, because my God is faithful and He knows the end of the story. The beautiful, messy story. 

Our lives are the blank canvases - which when we allow Him the freedom to create - He paints beauty.

For we are God’s handiwork,created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.